Prairie View A&M University is dedicated to excellence in teaching, research and service. It is committed to achieving relevance to each component of its mission by addressing issues and proposing solutions through programs and services designed to respond to the needs and aspirations of individuals, families, organizations, agencies, schools, and communities—both rural and urban. Prairie View A&M University is a state-assisted institution by legislative designation, serving a diverse ethnic and socio-economic population, and a land-grant institution by federal statute. Having been designated by the Texas constitution as one of the three “institutions of the first class” (1984), the University is committed to preparing undergraduates in a range of careers including, but not limited to engineering, computer science, natural sciences, architecture, business, technology, criminal justice, natural sciences, architecture, business technology, criminal justice, the humanities, education, agricultural sciences, nursing, selected social sciences, agriculture, business, and human sciences. It is committed to expanding its advanced educational offerings to include multiple doctoral programs.
Though the University’s service area has generally extended throughout Texas and the world, the University’s target service area for offering undergraduate and graduate programs of study includes the Texas Gulf Coast Region; the rapidly growing residential and commercial area known as the Northwest Houston Corridor; and urban Texas centers likely to benefit from Prairie View A&M University’s specialized programs and initiatives in nursing, juvenile justice, architecture, education, and social work. The University’s public service programs offered primarily through the Cooperative Extension Program target the State of Texas, both rural and urban counties. The University’s research foci include extending knowledge in all disciplines offered and incorporating research-based experiences in both undergraduate and graduate students’ academic development.
The Prairie View Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships mission is committed to providing a high level of service to support students in achieving their academic goals by helping to remove the financial barriers to college attendance. The office’s mission is to offer coordinated delivery of comprehensive student aid programs that are supportive of the recruitment of academically talented and diverse students.
The Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships will:
Excellence – We seek excellence in all our endeavors, and we are committed to continuous improvement.
Intellectual Freedom – We believe in ethical and scholarly questioning in an environment that respects the rights of all to freely pursue knowledge.
Integrity – We are committed to the principles of truth, honesty, and we will be equitable, ethical, and professional.
Service – We believe that serving others is a noble and worthy endeavor.
Diversity – We respect others and value diversity of opinion, freedom of expression, and other ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
Stewardship of Resources – We are dedicated to the efficient and effective use of resources. We accept the responsibility of the public’s trust and are accountable for our actions.
| Goal Statement One | Target Date | Status |
| Improve customer service at the front desk. | 8/31/2011 | In Progress |
| Objective | ||
| 1.1 Reduce complaints about customer service at the front desk by 20%. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Director of Student Financial Aid, Associate Directors, and Administrative Assistant | ||
| Action Plan | ||
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1) Contact other similar institutions to determine what other institutions do to ensure the highest level of front desk customer service. 2) Review hiring practices for students at the front desk. 3) Develop benchmarks for acceptable customer service. 4) Develop a longitudinal survey to measure customer satisfaction with the services provided at the front desk. |
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| Outcome | ||
| Fewer student complaints about poor customer service. | ||
| Goal Statement Two | Target Date | Status |
| Improve customer service provided by Financial Aid Counselors. | 8/31/2011 | In Progress |
| Objectives | ||
| 2.1 Reduce complaints about customer service provided by 20%. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Administrative Assistant, Associate Director, Loan and Scholarship Coordinators | ||
| Action Plan | ||
|
1) Contact other similar institutions to determine what other institutions do to ensure the highest level of customer service. 2) Develop benchmarks for acceptable customer service. 3) Develop a longitudinal survey to measure customer satisfaction with the services provided at the front desk. |
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| Outcome | ||
| Fewer student complaints about poor customer service. | ||
| Goal Statement Three | Target Date | Status |
| Improve information dissemination to students interested in Financial Aid and current Financial Aid Recipients. | 6/30/2010 | In Progress |
| Objective | ||
| 3.1 Use new avenues to communicate information to new and current students about financial aid. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
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Assistant Provost, Director for Business Affairs Information Resources, Associate Directors, Programmer Analyst, Administrative Assistant |
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| Action Plan | ||
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1) Obtain business Facebook & Twitter license. 2) Update Administrative Assistant PDQ to include updating our social network pages. 3) Populate Financial Aid Facebook and Twitter pages with pertinent financial Aid information. 4) Assign task force to look into other mediums (blogs, etc) that students frequent to ensure that our limited funds are utilized wisely to 'spread the word' about the availability of financial aid to attend PVAMU. 5) Develop plan to sustain effort to keep the sites up to date. 6) Investigate the use of 'bots' on our web page. The Bot would explain the purpose of the page and the provide constructive ways to use the information. |
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| Outcome | ||
| Fewer student complaints about not knowing recent changes and more financial aid applications filed in a timely manner. | ||
| Target Date | Status | |
| 2/28/2011 | In Progress | |
| Objective | ||
| 3.2 Use new avenues to communicate information to new and current students about financial aid awards and missing documents. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost, Director for Business Affairs Information Resources, Associate Director, Programmer Analyst, Default Prevention Specialist, AppWorx Consultant | ||
| Action Plan | ||
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1) Students use their "smart phones" more than computers. Develop plan to send all missing document and award letters for 2011-2012 via text message and University email. 2) Create and use text messaging system to remind students of important tasks. (i.e. complete promissory note, entrance counseling, exit counseling, defaulted loans, etc.) |
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| Outcome | ||
| Fewer student complaints about not knowing that the student has been awarded or about missing documents that need to be completed. | ||
| Target Date | Status | |
| 12/31/2010 | In Progress | |
| Objective | ||
| 3.3 Reengineer the financial aid web page to be more student-friendly and aesthetically pleasing to potential students and their families | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost, Director for Business Affairs Information Resources, Director of Student Financial Aid, Associate Directors, Programmer Analyst, Administrative Assistant | ||
| Action Plan | ||
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1) Create a student committee to review the web page. 2) Note requests for improvement. 3) Revise the entire web page. |
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| Outcome | ||
| More students and parents able to find information about financial aid. | ||
| Goal Statement Four | Target Date | Status |
| Improve financial aid award accuracy. | 3/31/2011 | In Progress |
| Objectives | ||
| 4.1 Reduce graduate student complaints about financial aid award accuracy by 30%. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost, Director of Student Financial Aid, Associate Directors, Loan Coordinator | ||
| Action Plans | ||
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1) Prior to awarding students for the 2011-2012 award year, develop a test plan to ensure that graduate student (GP) awards are checked prior to being released for public review. 2) Work closely with the Graduate School Dean and his staff to ensure that the correct statuses are in the system. |
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| Outcomes | ||
| Fewer student complaints and inaccurate awards. | ||
| Target Date | Status | |
| 3/31/2011 | In Progress | |
| Objectives | ||
| 4.2 Reduce undergraduate student complaints about financial aid award accuracy by 30%. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost, Director of Student Financial Aid, Associate Directors, Loan and Scholarship Coordinators, Financial Aid Counselors | ||
| Action Plans | ||
|
1) Prior to awarding students for the 2011-2012 award year, develop a test plan to ensure that undergraduate student awards are checked for accuracy prior to being released for public review. |
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| Outcomes | ||
| Fewer student complaints and inaccurate awards. | ||
| Goal Statement Five | Target Date | Status |
| Revise and update current Financial Aid Policies and Procedures Manual | 8/31/2011 | In Progress |
| Objectives | ||
| 5.1 Using NASFAA guidance, update current Financial Aid Policies and Procedures Manual. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost, Director of Student Financial Aid, Associate Directors, Loan and Scholarship Coordinators, Administrative Assistant | ||
| Action Plans | ||
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1) Revise and update the financial aid policies and procedures manual. |
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| Outcomes | ||
| All of the financial aid processes will be documented and easier to communicate. | ||
| Target Date | Status | |
| 12/31/2010 | In Progress | |
| Objectives | ||
| 5.2 Update the financial aid General Information web pages to provide all Consumer Brochure data required by federal regulations. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost, Director of Student Financial Aid, Director for Business Affairs Information Resources, Associate Directors, Loan and Scholarship Coordinators, Programmer Analyst, Administrative Assistant | ||
| Action Plans | ||
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1) Revise and update federally mandated consumer brochure information. |
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| Outcomes | ||
| Students will be better informed about financial aid processes and procedures. | ||
| Goal Statement Six | Target Date | Status |
| Improve communication between private scholarship recipients and their donors. | 5/31/2010 | In Progress |
| Objectives | ||
| 6.1 Assist scholarship recipients with sending thank you letters to private scholarship donors. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Scholarship Coordinators and Financial Aid Counselors (Scholarship) | ||
| Action Plan | ||
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1) Develop templates for students to use when sending a letter to scholarship donors. 2) Ensure letter is mailed to scholarship donor. |
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| Outcome | ||
| Improved relationship with Scholarship donors. | ||
| Goal Statement Seven | Target Date | Status |
| Improve Reconciliation and Verification. | 12/31/2010 | In Progress |
| Objectives | ||
| 7.1 Ensure reconciliation is completed every thirty (30) days. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost, Associate Directors, Reconciliation Supervisor, Reconciliation Specialists, Loan Coordinator | ||
| Action Plans | ||
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1) Review monthly reports that show encumbered funds for students that did not enroll in classes at PVAMU. The aid will be cancelled and funds returned to the appropriate account(s). 2) Ensure all accounts are reconciled every thirty (30) days. 3) Ensure that both the Federal Pell Grant and Direct Loan programs are reconciled every thirty (30) days. |
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| Outcomes | ||
| More students will be able to get the funds necessary to attend PVAMU. Also fewer situations where colleges have requested monies for the same student. | ||
| Target Date | Status | |
| 5/31/2010 | In Progress | |
| Objectives | ||
| 7.2 Ensure verification is completed for students within 72 hours of submission. (If file is complete.) | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Reconciliation Supervisor, Reconciliation Specialists | ||
| Action Plans | ||
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1) Review and process verification items submitted by students within 72 hours. |
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| Outcomes | ||
| More students processed and in a paid status by the first day of class. | ||
| Goal Statement Eight | Target Date | Status |
| Reduce the University's federal student loan cohort default rate and increase student financial literacy on campus. | 12/31/2012 | In Progress |
| Objective | ||
| 8.1 Reduce PVAMU's federal cohort default rate below ten percent (10%). | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost, SGA President, Director of Student Activities, Loan Coordinator, Default Prevention Specialist | ||
| Action Plan | ||
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1) Create a student committee to help reduce the University's Default Rate. 2) Review and contest any loans on the LRDR that may be in error and report to ED via the eCDR web based program. 3) Continue to contact former students via letter and inform them about the benefits of consolidation and various programs that can assist students repay their loans and/or keep their loans out of default. |
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| Outcome | ||
| Develop new and more innovative ways of informing students about the perils of defaulting on their student loans. Reducing the cohort rate will allow the school to disregard the thirty (30) day delay for first-time freshmen. | ||
| Target Date | Status | |
| 12/31/2012 | In Progress | |
| Objective | ||
| 8.2 Continue to increase student financial literacy on campus by providing student workshops throughout the year. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost, SGA President, Director of Student Activities, Loan Coordinator, Default Prevention Specialist, Programmer Analyst | ||
| Action Plan | ||
|
1) Create financial literacy web page. 2) Create student committee for financial literacy. 3) Setup a schedule to provide 'hands-on' financial literacy workshops throughout the campus. |
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| Outcome | ||
| Increase student knowledge of financial literacy. | ||
| Target Date | Status | |
| 1/31/2011 | In Progress | |
| Objective | ||
| 8.3 Review the online Financial Literacy Curriculum for the various University classifications (i.e. freshmen, etc.) and automate the import of the completion data into Banner. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost, Associate Director, Loan Coordinator, Default Prevention Specialist, Student Committee, AppWorx Consultant | ||
| Action Plan | ||
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1) Student Committee will review online curriculum and make suggestions for changes. 2) Hire an AppWorx consultant to assist with programming the data exchange between the financial literacy and Banner systems. 3) Import completion dates into missing document section of the financial aid module in Banner. |
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| Outcome | ||
| Increase efficiency and timeliness of awards. | ||
| Target Date | Status | |
| 12/31/2012 | In Progress | |
| Objective | ||
| 8.4 Reduce Prairie View A&M University's Federal Perkins Loan Default Rate | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Senior Vice President for Business Affairs, Assistant Provost, Assistant Vice President for Business Affairs, Director of University Compliance, Manager of Treasury Services, Loan Coordinator, Default Prevention Specialist, Financial Aid Counselors (Loans), Campus Partners (third-party vendor), Independent Audit Firm (to be named) | ||
| Action Plan | ||
|
1) Liquidate the Federal Perkins Loan Program at Prairie View A&M University. |
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| Outcome | ||
| Compliance with Federal Perkins Loan regulations. | ||
| Goal Statement Nine | Target Date | Status |
| Ensure administrative capability and high customer satisfaction at Prairie View A&M University's Northwest Center. | 1/15/2011 | In Progress |
| Objectives | ||
| 9.1 Increase enrollment at the PVAMU Northwest site by more than 20%, as well as, ensure compliance with the US Department of Education's administrative capability requirements. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost | ||
| Action Plans | ||
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1) Submit plans to Title III to hire a Director, Associate Director, Two Financial Aid Counselors, Data Assistant I (Imaging), and an Administrative Assistant at PVAMU's newest site, The Northwest Center. 2) Submit plans to Title III to purchase new equipment (i.e. computers, scanner, etc.) for the staff. |
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| Outcome | ||
| Improved relationship with PVAMU - Northwest Center students. As well as, compliance with federal and SACS regulations. The additional presence may also increase student enrollment at the site. | ||
| Goal Statement Ten | Target Date | Status |
| Improve financial aid staff knowledge of federal, state, and institutional financial aid policies and procedures. | 12/31/2012 | In Progress |
| Objectives | ||
| 10.1 All staff will pass post-test of financial aid training exercises. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost, Director of Financial Aid, Associate Directors, Loan and Scholarship Coordinators, Administrative Assistant | ||
| Action Plans | ||
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1) Develop policies and procedures manual. 2) Develop pre- and post-tests to evaluate staff financial aid knowledge. 3) Assign staff to train others about all of the aspects of financial aid. |
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| Outcome | ||
| Staff have greater knowledge of financial aid policy and fewer mistakes. | ||
| Goal Statement Eleven | Target Date | Status |
| Complete scanning of all documents in Financial Aid Conference Room. | 12/31/2010 | In Progress |
| Objectives | ||
| 11.1 Complete scanning of all documents in the Financial Aid Conference Room | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Reconciliation Supervisor, Data Assistants, Administrative Assistant | ||
| Action Plans | ||
|
1) Scan all documents located in the Financial Aid Conference Room. 2) Ensure that the University's Record Retention policy is followed in the destruction of the documents. 3) Work with Property Management to remove the file cabinets from the financial aid conference room. |
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| Outcomes | ||
| All financial aid documents will be located in one location and easier to query. | ||
| Target Date | Status | |
| 5/31/2010 | In Progress | |
| Objectives | ||
| 11.2 Review security for access to DocuWare. | ||
| Responsibility | ||
| Assistant Provost, Reconciliation Supervisor, Associate Director | ||
| Action Plans | ||
|
1) Review all access to DocuWare. |
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| Outcomes | ||
| More secure system. | ||
